Poland mourns after gunman kills six in Krakow market square

A gunman opened fire on a crowded market square in Krakow, Poland, killing six people and wounding 17 others. The attacker, a 24-year-old Polish citizen, was armed with an AR-15 rifle and held a firearms licence. He was shot by police just three minutes after the alert was received, preventing what the interior minister described as a potential "much larger massacre". The incident occurred on a Saturday afternoon when the square was filled with tourists.

The gunman, whose identity has not been released, was found to have a significant arsenal at his home in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, a town about 200 kilometres from Krakow. Three more bodies were found at his home, believed to be members of his immediate family. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said formal identification had not been announced, but there were strong indications that they were related to the gunman. The discovery has raised questions about the gunman's background and potential motives.

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said the gunman appeared to be influenced by far-right ideology, which will be part of the investigation. The Internal Security Agency and Military Counterintelligence Service are supporting the inquiry. While police have not stated a motive, the minister's comments suggest that extremist ideology may have played a role in the attack. This would be consistent with a pattern of violent incidents in Poland linked to online extremist content.

The Krakow shooting is unprecedented in scale, and has shocked a country that has long viewed itself as safer than its western European neighbours. President Karol Nawrocki has declared national mourning for November 8 and 9, and messages of condolence have come from across the continent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas were among those to express their sympathy.

The attack has raised questions about Poland's firearms licensing system and how the gunman was able to accumulate a significant arsenal. The investigation will also examine the role of the internet in radicalising the gunman. If online extremism is confirmed to have played a role, it will add to growing concerns about the spread of hate and radicalisation online.

The suspect, a Polish citizen, was described as being in a stable but critical condition after multiple operations. Two police officers were wounded in the confrontation and are in stable condition after surgery. The justice minister has appealed for blood donations for one of them. The gunman's actions have left a country grappling with the reality of homegrown extremist violence.

As Poland seeks to understand and respond to the attack, the incident is also being watched by other countries, including those in Africa, which face similar challenges in controlling firearms, regulating online content, and countering extremist movements. The questions Poland now faces about licensing, warning signs, and digital radicalisation are relevant to many countries on the continent.

Key points

• The gunman was influenced by far-right ideology, according to the interior minister.
• The attack killed six people and wounded 17 others, with the gunman and two police officers also injured.
• The incident has raised questions about Poland's firearms licensing system and the role of online extremism.